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Prosecutor of Rodopi filed a lawsuit for the revocation of the registration of the Western Thrace Fenerbahçe Association

02.03.2023

ABTTF President: “The lawsuit filed to revoke the registration of this association, which is only a supporters’ association, is a sign of how strong the attitudes, prejudices and stereotypes towards the Turkish community in Western Thrace are at every level, including the judiciary. We will all continue to follow the issue, and we will not remain silent in face of this unlawfulness.” 

With the signature of the Rodopi Provincial Prosecutor, a lawsuit was filed for the revocation of the registration of the Western Thrace Fenerbahçe Association, which was officially established in Komotini on 11 October 2022. The hearing of the case opened with the signature of Prosecutor Maria Kapetanyannis will be held on Wednesday, 22 March 2023 at the Court of First Instance with a Single Judge of Rodopi.

It is claimed that in the region mentioned in the prosecutor’s indictment, that is, in Western Thrace, the members of the association are foreign nationals under the implication of Türkiye, or that the association may create the impression that there is an ethnic minority in the region by implying a Turkish minority as its name. The indictment, which states that there is only a ‘‘Muslim minority’’ in the region according to the Treaty of Lausanne, claims that the name of the association is against the law.

The statement made by the Western Thrace Fenerbahçe Association is as follows: “Our association, which was established within the framework of Greek laws, including our establishment phase, has not engaged in any work or activity other than our charter. Our association has become a target with unfounded claims and prejudices. No one should doubt that we will defend our rights to the end. It should not be forgotten that we are just a supporters’ association.”

Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) made the following statement: “The lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor of Rodopi for the revocation of the registration of the Western Thrace Fenerbahçe Association cannot be accepted. As the European Court of Human Rights has clearly ruled with respect to the reasons for not registering the Cultural Association of Turkish Women of the Prefecture of Rodopi and the Evros Prefecture Minority Youth Association, which are the subject of Bekir-Ousta and Others Group of Cases, there can be no valid reason for not registering, or in this case, revoking its registration on claims that the association creates the impression that its members are Turkish citizens or that they are part of an ethnic Turkish minority living in the region. Indeed, as indicated by our association, the Fenerbahçe Association has not carried out any work or activity outside its statutes since its establishment and has acted within the boundaries of the statutes as a supporters’ association. However, we all know that the Western Thrace Fenerbahçe Association has been a target since the first day it was established. Even the Honorary President of the Court of Cassation claimed that this association harmed national interests and threatened public safety and demanded the annulment of the registration decision. The lawsuit filed to revoke the registration of this association, which is only a supporters’ association, is a sign of how strong the attitudes, prejudices and stereotypes towards the Turkish community in Western Thrace are at every level, including the judiciary. We will all continue to follow the issue, and we will not remain silent in face of this unlawfulness”.
 

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